A Day Worth Remembering
Meeting in the glowing forest, the white haired partner of Satoru leaned against a tree as the serpent himself grinned across from him "Wow, for once he's late. Never expected that from him." Sighing, the white haired man staired aimlessly at the ground until a red mist formed near them. Walking through it was a man in dark, fur robes and had long, braided white hair and glowing red eyes similar to Satoru's partner. He announced "Greetings, comrades. Sorry for the absence. A woman's husband was just brutally murdered and she wanted vengeance." Satoru's partner nodded acknowledgingly "Nothing ever changes, does it, Devoveo?" He smirked in reply "Not really, Vita." He then turned to Satoru and gave a slightly disgusted frown "And greetings to you too, Esurio. But where is Ira?" Esurio smirked "Buried beneath the lava ocean of Hell, if you must know. The denizens of Hell have taken to calling him... Akuma. God of all that is destruction and pain and suffering. How fitting, they are pretty correct in their fairy-tales." Devoveo sighed "Then we'll just have to do this without him. Is the candidate ready?" Vita turned away "Yeah... Just try not to make him suffer too much." Devoveo smirked "And so it begins..." Shade had just woken from yet another nightmare. This one, like the others felt like an omen. "It's nothing. Not like I can die anymore." he told himself in the dark. As he slowly entered the living room, he groaped around for the remote to his T.V. As always, it was set to metal music stuff. Your Betrayal by Bullet For My Valentine blared out. "..told to run away, Soak the place enlight the flame." Loran was also getting up, but to make coffee. "Shade, turn that down, please!" she yelled. And he did as he was told. Knock Knock! Margin let himself in since the door was open, "They're too careless...." He entered the living room and greeted Shade. He sat down next to him without even Shade saying so. Van dialed the number he got from Shade a while back and left a message. "Hey Ice Man! You home? Me and the guys might come by....Laters!' "Hey guys, door was open so i figured I'd drop in." Ray said as Aki smiled as she was clinging on to his hand. Tristeza and Bailarin were heading towards Shade's home, Bailarin wanting to introduce her lover to her old Hell-Hunter comrade. She noticed his door was open but knocked anyway out of politeness. "Hey, come on in everyone. I guess it's time the whole group got together for once." Shade smiled as his old friends showed up. "Bailarin, who is your friend?" he asked politely. "This is Tristeza, my girl-friend." smiling to Shade, she gave a nod to him, offering that warm feeling she did towards most. Tristeza on the other hand only smirked and nodded. "Oh....Kay....." Again Margin is feeling a little bit lost here, he doesnt know who the hell this people are. Just then three figures fell from the sky. "You don't anything at all about kido do you Atsuya!" Van yelled "You're the one to suggest flying using a spell for a boost." Atsuya laughed. "Anyway see we made it. Miss Loran!!! YOU HERE!?" "Shut up Atsuya." Shiro groaned getting up. "Haha, so you guys must be some of Shade's allies I'm Ray Martinez." Ray said smiling as he extend his hand for a shake. "I'm Aki Kastu, nice to meet you too." Aki bowed in respect. "Nice to meet you all as well." "So; how are you all?" Bailarin questioned while Tristeza walked in the home without a word. Shade smiled "Pretty good." Loran leaned her head into the room inquisitively and asked "Coffee, anyone?" Margin remained inside, not wanting to meet anyone else. The TV was on, so it ok if he watch right? "Sure, I could use a cup." Ray said as he grabbed cups for himself and Aki,"I've been meaning to ask, why are you two here exactly?" Ray asked with wonder. Tristeza and Bailarin shrugged. nodding at the offer of coffee. "Coffee would be great." "We're just here to meet up with old friends." Peeking his head out from the door, Sadow was smiling "Did some say cof-" Before he could finish, however, he noticed Ray and Aki present and glowered at him, remembering the last instance they shared. "Well if isn't my old friend Sadow." Ray glared at him while Aki looked at him. Tristeza pondered, "Sadow?" "Sounds familiar." Bailarin on the other hand smiled to him, "You both met?" Sadow didn't look at her but kept his eyes on Ray "You could say that..." "So i can assume by you being here that you're an ally of Shade." Ray glared at him. "OI OI OI OI OI!!! Don't forget about us! No one introduced us? Jerks!" Van said as he walked toward Shade "Hey Ice Man!" Shade looked at the vast number of people now in his home. "Ok, why am I not informed of a party or whatever brought you all here? And Margin, lighten up will you?" Margin waved his hand while his eyes are fixed on the TV. "Yeah yeah yeah....Whatever..." Smirking; Tristeza giggled, "Such tension." Bailarin only watched on; taking a seat in another chair; crossing her legs as she waited for the coffee. "So tell me... what have you all been up to since all this Hell business?" Sadow leaned against a wall with his arms crossed "Nothing much..." "So i can tell you still haven't found him yet." Ray said as he sat down on a chair. Hearing a very calm and silky voice echo through the house, Sadow's eyes widened in shock "The one you're referring to isn't as far as you might think..." Appearing at the center of the room was a dark red mist which eventually shaped itself into a figure with long, braided white hair and slitted, crimson eyes "Greetings, everyone." "Who the Hell are you?" Shade asked, in his calmest voice. "Not everyday a psychopath shows up in my house, so it's a fair question." He tilted his head "Psychopath? I'm offended. I'm just an honest business making his way in the world. And you are, apparently, something special, Kagekyo Shade." Van looked confused "So who is this person?" "So you are the evil spirit energy I've been sensing." Ray said glaring at him. "Why have you come here?!" Aki demanded as she started to draw her sword. He didn't keep his slitted, glowing eyes off Shade "To make a special offer to the man of the hour." "So, you want me? Interesting. What is the offer?" Shade glared at the new man. The man smirked "Basically, in a nutshell, ultimate power. The ability to defy even the greatest laws governing your existance." "Power? To defy laws governing existance? In other words, I'm God in a sense?" Shade fought the urge to laugh. How could this man have the power to grant that? He nods with a dark smile on his face, as if he could see the tempting seed being planted within Shade's mind. "Allow me to take us to my office." With a snap of his fingers, the house collapsed and the sky became blood red with a few black clouds floating above. Basically, in everyone's eyes who has visited it before, Hell. Sadow looked at the ground to be horrified at the sight of similar-looking horrified expressions looking back up at him. They were... standing on... people. Dead people. One's who's faces were so malformed, it was as if someone presented them the most gruesome and painful experience and left them to bask in it. Sadow clutched his throat, choking from the disgusting side they beheld. Rising from the stack under Devoveo's feet, a black rock carried him above the rest so that he would have everyone's attention "Now then... Let us begin, Kagekyo." "So, how do you plan on giving me this power? All I see are dead guys, and one demon who will die." To get his point across, he unsheathed his sword, Shinjitsu Zai-no. The man began laughing uncontrollably at the threat of his. "At your current level you are to me what a house fly is to you. Though my power is to bestow, not destroy. And with that..." He appeared next to Shade with a hand on his shoulder, though what was strange was he made no sound signifying a technique. Nothing stirred with his movement. It was as if reality grabbed him and put him there in that stance. "I will show you what you are capable of with our power. With our gift. What you could create. What you could... destroy..." He then placed his index and middle fingers on Shade's temple, sending him into a vision of himself with long, flowing blonde hair and golden eyes. He was in the Soul Society, surrounded by every Squad available, and having hordes upon hordes of Soul Reapers charging toward him. Their Captains and Leiutenants lay dead at his feet, and with a twirl of his hand they, too, were nothing more than bags of organs and blood stains on the hard dirt. "Ignorant fools. You all fail to recognize the true master. Then you all will be '''punished'..."'' exclaimed the blonde Shade. Clasping his hands together as if he were praying for guidance, he sent forth a wave of white fire that burned the entire radias, leaving nothing but an ashey crater with Shade at the center, looking apathetic and annoyed. "Insects... You are all... insects..." He walked up the crater to find the Soul Society and it's denizens, cowering in fear before the mighty being. He floated high above them and looked down upon them menacingly "Worship me as your deity and as your God, and I shall bring forth happiness to you. Defy and go against me, and I shall simply swat you off... the face... of my world..." They all fell to their knees and bowed to him, chanting his name as his arms crossed. He looked at the ground in front of them and rubble came together to form a stone statue of him in his exact pose and reflection. Removing his fingers, Devodeo smiled to him darkly "Like wiping your arse with silk, isn't it? Power is luxurious and... orgasmic..." "I could have everything I've ever wanted. How can you grant me this? Tell me!" Shade smiled, but then it slid into a sinister grin. His dreams were to sson come full circle. Loran could feel Shade's emotions growing darker and darker, leading her to worry about him, but figured Shade was only focused on saving the people there, and not on his own goals. Devodeo grinned back "I am the Vice King of Temptation. Just as you are the Chosen One. All the cards have been laid out for this moment. Hell, all events have been laid out for this moment. Even your genetic bloodline was manipulated so that your birth would happen and your destiny would be sewn onto the blanket of life." "So, I'm supposed to believe I'm God? Or that someone's really setting me up? Or, I'm on the freakiest episode of Prank'd. Yeah, that works." Shade almost busted a gut laughing. Can I honestly be dreaming? This is all too real for me. Devodeo's smile faded into an almost annoyed frown "You do not believe in the offer...?" "It's a little hard to believe, but as long as I control what I do with it, why not? Wait, last time, I had to give something up, so what is it you want?" Shade let the smile fade. A smirk crossed Devodeo's face "Your friends." Shade's skin blanched. "You can't expect me to agree with that? No amount of power is worth that. Nothing is." But with that, I could bring mom back, and restore dad's mind. But these people are my best friends. They helped me fill the void in my heart. Wait, this could work, I could use that power to get them back, I hope. '' He smiled "Is that true? With power like that, your dream will become reality. If they can realize that dream one day, I am sure they would forgive you." Sadow's eyes were locked on Shade, in wonder if he would really sell them out for power. Ray started getting more and more angry then went and attacked the person that was offering Shade this power. A barrier seemed to keep Ray away from Devodeo and Shade as they conversed. "What? You want them, so that I can become all powerful, and you expect me to live with that? Your words struck at the very core of who I am. Give up those I love for power. or forget the love of power for my friends? Shade grinned that all to obvious grin. "Shade don't, this isn't you Shade and you know it too. Think about everything you've been through are you really gonna throw that away for power?!" Ray growled at him trin gas much as he could to break the barrier. "ANSWER ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". "What do all of you know? You tell me that. Then my answer will be known to you." The grin faded in Shade's anger. "Don't act like your someone so cool, Shade.....It makes me sick." Margin is having one of those random moments again. "Your friends here just broke something very important." His eyes turning hollowfied, a symbol of his anger and annoyance. "They just broke....THE TELEVISION! I WAS WATCHING BEN 10! Shade! Ben 10!" A cero charged on his palm and he fired it right at the barrier keeping them away. Devodeo frowned at them "Silence." With that single word, he has rendered them mute. He turned back to Shade "Some appreciative friends they are." "All they want, is me to be happy. But I'm torn between my goal, and my heart." Shade began to break under the pressure. "How do you expect me to choose?" Ray just kept banging and banging on the barrier trying to make Shade change his mind. "Please, explain how can I choose between two things I desire?" Shade knelt to the ground, afraid. Ray banged and banged trying to get Shade's attention as he even tried stabbing at the barrier with his Zanpaktuo. He shook his head, smiling faintly "You cannot have both. '''But'... you can have better friends after you have gained this power. Besides, if you've already considered abandoning them now, then I doubt they will continue to trust you, even if you do choose them." Ray knocked on the barrier with his fist shaking his head trying to tell Shade not to believe it. "Seeing as your right, grant me the power. Give me what is my birthright!" The look in Shade's eyes seemed to posses a hunger, never before seen. "I'll throw my past away for this power, and with it, I'll lay claim to the throne of God!" Smirking, Devodeo raised his arms and summoned a glowing red brand that shot forth, planting itself onto the bodies of the various sacrifices present. The corpses under the feet of Devodeo and Shade rose to form a high pillar, lifting them into the crimson skies above. The corpses awoke and and began chanting in worship over Shade. Placing his hand on Shade's head, Devodeo brushed it through his hair. With the movement, his hair became whitish-gold and flowing. He stared into his eyes and they became gold and magnicificent. He then took Shade's Hell-Blade and tossed it to the feet of the sacrifices "You have no need of such petty toys. You are far greater than that now." With a snap of his fingers, the corpses rose and began attempting to devour the sacrifices branded. Unsheathing Boseki, Sadow slashed at several and guarded from the direct impacts of their clawed hands. Watching the ongoings, Tristeza and Bailarin rushed to Sadow's side; both using a double-kick on the left-side to fling aside the enemy combatants. Tristeza gritting her teeth, she unsheathed her own Zanpakuto, a metal-clawed fan. Bailarin did as well, her's being a serrated Tanto. Ray just stayed there on his knees trying to wonder why this had to happen, then he just releashed his Shikai without saying anywords and put on his hollow-mask then instinctivily charged towards Shade threatening to kill him without actually saying anything. Bifurcating one of the oncoming attackers, Sadow turned to Ray and, apparently being granted his voice back, shouted "Ray, don't!" Shade simply raised his hand in front of his face, and a dome sent Ray flying away. "Fools, how could I have ever called you my friends? I become a God, and you reject what I could offer you. Such a pity." Ray just got up as his entire body was cut and scratched along with most of his clothes torn off, Ray kept his hollow mask on and summoned all of the energy in his body and went again for another attack but this time Ray went even faster than before. This time, Shade caught the blade in Ray's hands, with his own. "This is pathetic. If this is all you have, I'll take my leave. But before I leave you all, I'll give you a gift. I can, after all, be a merciful God." Shade gathered a massive amount of energy in his free hand. "Any wagers?" Hacking through several of the attacking corpses, Sadow charged toward Shade, but not before Esurio appeared in front of him, grinning, and grabbed Boseki's blade with his gloved hands. He syphoned out Boseki's soul in the form of a hand-sized blue orb and devoured it in front of Sadow, giving a pleased smile as he gulped it down. Eyes widening in the horror of Esurio's atrocity, he was too unfocused to pull back as Esurio snapped his blade in half, leaving the damaged former Hell-Blade to collapse in the crowd of ghouls. In a rage, Sadow pulled out Nekan and swung the blade toward Esurio, who side-stepped it so it would fly toward Shade. Shade had to pull soemthing. He wasn't full complete yet, so he pulled Ray in the line of fire. "In my hand, is a soul. Of course, it does need a body. And, who better to birth the Son of God, than my dear girlfriend?" As he spoke, he ordered the soul to enter Loran, giving her a child. "Too bad my power is not yet fully usable, the soul would have been perfect." Ray was coughing out blood as he pulled out the weapon from his back then gave a look of emptiness towards Shade, his mask broke away and made Ray pass out. Tristeza smiled. Appearing to Esurio's back with the use of Sonido, a giggle the only noise that showed she was there. Soon; Tristeza had her bladed fan stabbing into his spine; each tip hitting a different vertebrae. She was perparing to either twist or stab further... then the damage would be fatal, or the foe would be handicapped. Bailarin charged Bala onto her Zanpakuto; ready for combat incase the attack failed Grinning as he was stabbed, Esurio sprouted his barbed tail to impale Tristeza whilst Vita appeared behind Bailarin, bashing his elbow into the back of her head to knock her unconcious. "Return them home. After all, one of their number holds my child. Do not let any harm come to anyone of them." Shade said, commanding. As much as he would have loved to kill them all, he said he was merciful, therefore, he played the part. Sadow sliced three ghouls in half with Nekan, as she remained sobbing inside his spiritual realm. He turned to Shade as Devodeo summoned many long streams of shadow with hands at the ends to teleport them away and shouted "SHAAADE!!!" As the hands touched them, their bodies dissolved. His arm extended toward Shade but it, too dissipated. His last sight in that realm was Shade standing aloft next to Devodeo, his long blonde hair flowing in the wind, and smirking down at his old friends. "Fate's hands turn once more, now, let us rise to the Soul Society, so I may take the throne of God." Shade scoffed at how his former allies were. No longer would he be held back by his bonds. "Before we do so, I will allow you to ask of me one thing, and if I can, I will grant it to you." Devoveo shook his head "It is not my place to take anything other than sacrifice. You are your own, so do as you will... Chosen One." "Then answer me this, why me? Why was I chosen to do this?" Shade almost sounded scared, but he cast the fears away. He shrugged casually "Beats me... It makes the decisions. Not I. I am a Vice King, like Vita and Esurio. We are it's hands. Nothing more." "Then, let us asend to heaven and claim my right." Shade said, feeling the power surge within himself. When enerything was silent Ray woke up to find himself in a field with everyone else asleep and Aki still awake. "I can't believe it...." Aki said as she started crying and fainted next to Ray. Ray took one last look at everyone else and sighed as he got up and carried Aki,"Sorry guys to leave but i need to go." Ray whispered as he walked away from them and left on the wind. Sadow lay on the ground in Hell and, in anger and frustration at having been betrayed again, emptied his ammunition in both of his guns at the blood-red skies in Hell, then threw them in a lava river after they were fully emptied. He pounded his fists against the ground, breaking them and screamed in both pain and anger. Why so frustrated, Son of Man?" Sadow was now sure he had gone insane as he heard a voice echoing throughout his mind.